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83 Reasons To Hire A Birth Photographer

Lynsey Stone, aka the DFW Birth Photographer, was the first person I called when I found out I was pregnant. Yep, I’m so in love with her work that I scheduled her 39 weeks in advance, and that’s not all! I have actually introduced myself to women I saw on her blog. How do you like this one?

Hi! You don’t know me but I saw you make that scrunchy face as you pushed your baby out. Where? Oh, Lynsey’s website! You did a great job!

Or this?

Your kids were wearing GOGGLES in the birthing pool. So funny! I hope those boys love their little sister. (To be fair, I met this mom once before at a birth class. . . she wasn’t a COMPLETE stranger)

Or to a mom of four:

Umm . . . you looked like you were enjoying that contraction a little. too. much. [Internal thought: You looked like you were making a baby, not pushing one out!]

Little did I know how important that call would become. After a difficult labor I had so many different emotions to process through. Sharing my story has helped tremendously, but when all was written the experience still felt stained with confusion and disappointment in myself.

Watching Lynsey’s slideshow changed that. In eighty-three images, she washed a grimy window and let the light through. She captured the beauty of the moment and washed the pain away. She made me feel strong again . . . at least, stronger than I did. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen it now, but it has been a very healing experience.

On a totally different note, here’s a little piece of Potamus family trivia for you: The music playing throughout the slideshow, Brian Johnson’s “Love Came Down,” was playing at the exact moment that Micah made his entrance.

Click anywhere on the photo below to begin slideshow

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About Heather

Hi, I'm Mommypotamus. My mission is to help you put delicious, healthy meals on the table, find effective natural remedies for common complaints, make your own fuss-free personal care and home products, and save time and money in the process.

Reader Interactions

75 Comments

I L <3 V E D this! Thank you for sharing such personal photos. I kept thinking the one I was looking at was my favorite until I'd see the next one.. And the ones with Kris make me cry. Beautiful KiKi! I L <3 V E the ones with Katie. Beautiful! Amazing! Thank you!

Oh Heather…I am a ball of emotions right now!! Not only cause your slide show was absolutely stunning…but also because your words were MY words 3 years ago. The first time I saw my slideshow after my “confidence shattering” labor and birth…I sobbed, literally sobbed as I watched something that I swear I had NOT been part of!! I was able to see my labor and birth as everyone else saw it…as a long hard process that I had conquered and birthed a beautiful boy out of. I swear my birth did not look like that in my head…but once I saw it in pictures I was able to allow myself some grace on how it truly it did happen. As you said, I could view it through different eyes…and these eyes were much more forgiving and gentle than my OWN eyes. Lynsey was a HUGE part of my healing–between her pictures, slideshow and friendship over the next few months and years…I found peace with my birth. I rejoice with you as you find that healing through these pictures. And I agree I think that a birth photographer is as vital at a birth at the midwife ( shhh…dont tell our midwives that!) I had Lynsey at my home before any other part of my birth team with the exception of one midwife assistant…we weren’t risking she would miss anything! If my home burns down–grab my kids and my birth photos…seriously!! Thanks so much for sharing and for giving THE DFW Birth Photographer the KUDDOS she deserves–her art is a priceless healing tool. The laboring mom does all the HARD work..while Lynsey captures the raw footage of what that truly looks like and is able to make it look beautiful!

It was gorgeous, just like I thought it would be! You did amazing, Heather! Coldplay’s “The Scientist” was playing while Lily was born. Still can’t listen to it without going right back to on my back feeling her squishy body come out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Kd7IGPyeg

Thanks so much for sharing this blessed event w/us! I couldn’t help but tear up (& find myself again doing so as I type this!) as I saw the photos of you crying as you hold little Micah for the first time. Such a moving documentary of his birth!

Beautiful! Loved the video! It made me cry again like I did when I saw it happen in person. I loved all the photos minus the one where I look like the Joker. 🙂 My hair is crazy because our electricity was out for 5 hours that day. But so glad I got to share that moment!

Gifted and fabulous as she always is…..never disappoints with her work! But Heather, you do realize that Lynsey can only capture the beauty that is already there, right?!?! I see the Lord all around your little family in those photos. Now, I have to go and summon my husband home to attempt to have another baby so I can hire Lynsey for the third time. 🙂

Awww I’m all teary eyed. That was SO BEAUTIFUL. Thank you for sharing. I really, really want to have a birth photographer. I still need to convince my husband though. He doesn’t like the idea of it being a big show with flashing lights etc. Did you find having a photographer there, disturbing in any way? I’d imagine they would have to use a flash if you are labouring in low light and that could be distracting possibly? I think I’d be okay with it 🙂

Crystal, Lynsey was at our birth too and I guarantee you she wasn’t a distraction. She bounces her light off the walls behind her so you don’t get direct light in your face. I only have 2 memories of her taking pictures and when she called to tell me how many pictures she got, I was really worried, I was afraid that she would have only gotten a handful, but she got over 100! Look for reviews on birth photographers in your area and look for words like “discrete” “fly on the wall” that sort of thing!

Crystal – I agree with Mae that Lynsey is very discreet. When you get in “the zone” all that stuff fades away anyway. While I’m nowhere near as good as Lynsey, I was the birth photographer for a close friend. I remember standing in this tiny bathroom snapping away and thinking that at any moment my good friend was going to get up and smack me for annoying her. After half an hour of contractions she looked up and said to me “How long have you been here?” LOL!

Heather I love this! We just decided to hire her and I’m SO thrilled! Crystal, I am 4 months pregnant and my husband just gave me the go ahead to hire her. He felt the same way but with some coaching from friends who used her he agreed. I’m so excited! I regret we don’t have better pictures with my 1st but I know this will help the treasure the process!

Yay! I love when my real-life friends hire Lynsey. Although I love her work no matter what, it’s so meaningful to see the birth of a little one that I have the joy of watching grow up.

I totally agree that it will help you treasure the process. Although there is nothing like the thrill of knowing I “did it” the first time I gave birth, I can honestly say that being wiser the second time around helped me make better choices about my birth. The two biggest changes I made were hiring Lynsey and a doula. Now that I have experienced birth both ways I would never want to do it without these important additions!

So beautiful! So touching. So perfect. Lynsey, this is your best work. ever. period. Heather, your beautiful family is so precious and it’s such and honor to view such an intimate occasion through the talented lens of Lynsey. I love how the song fits perfectly with all you experienced and victoriously endured. “However much we know about birth in general, we know nothing about a particular birth. We must let it unfold with its own uniqueness.” Elizabeth Noble

Your words are true for me too. My fifth childs birth back in May left me searching for something beautiful and I got to see it in Lynsey’s photos. She definetly provides a different and beautiful perspective. I wish every mother could have her. Just not enough Lynsey to go around. We need to clone her 😉 Beautiful beautiful birth. Thank you for sharing.

ahem, (*teasing tone*)aren’t you forgetting a very important part of when and why you booked Lynsey? All it took was seeing MY amazing birth pics captured by the one and only…LYNSEY!…and there you have it. the rest is history 😉

So lovely and so beautiful – thank you for sharing! A beautiful family moment captured in time by sweet Lynsey. 🙂 Makes me want to do it again so that my daughter can participate. What a treasure a birth slideshow is!

Heather, thanks so much for sharing this beautiful, intimate look into the birth of Micah. I am overcome. I totally teared up when I saw the pictures of you seeing your son for the first time. I am almost 27 weeks pregnant with our second and we are also planning a home birth this time (we had our daughter at a birth center). Seeing your family all around you (even little Katie) was so precious to me. I just want to give you a big hug right now! 🙂

I loved the song too…I spent a couple of years at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, and there’s just no one like Brian Johnson to open the doors to heaven in worship!

Occasional reader, first time replier. What a beautiful video. I boohooed the whole time while I was watching your video (remembering my own birth experience just 3 months ago). I must say you look like you labored very calmly. Good job! We had a birth photographer only after it was suggested at our birthing class. At first I thought no way, I will be too distracted and a little uncomfortable having some stranger take pics of such an intimate moment. We were already doing things “outside the box” (by having a midwife and delivering at a birth center) in our general circle of friends. But, I changed my mind when thinking about this “only once” chance. Only when watching the video could I really see what actually happened when my little girl was born. It was awesome! To think we almost didn’t hire a photographer, silly me! So thankful we did. Thanks for sharing.

This might turn any homebirth doubting Thomas into a believer! At least that’s what I’m hoping will happen with my in-laws 🙂 That’s why I hired Lyndsey. I was worried about how I’d feel about a slideshow afterwards if the birth doesn’t go the way I planned it….I’m glad to hear it can be redeeming! I love how she captured Micah’s first interactions with his family- looking and just figuring everyone out. I guess that’s why I want a natural birth (because I do sometimes wonder why I am choosing to go through that pain again) it’s just neat how alert and interactive they are when they come out!

thanx for sharing that… i have her liked on facebook too, not sure where i found her, but it’s such a small world… she does amazing work, and so do the families she works with!! congrats on your newest potamus, may you all be happy and healthy <3

the pictures make it look easy. you are so graceful and slender. I am glad the record of it helped you see it as it really was; with no grime or stains. mothers are heroes. we have 3 girls. I had never heard of a birth photographer – but my daughters will be savvy to that amazing idea! Its so funny how people differ… I couldn’t stand people, noise or light. I labored in a dark, silent room. No one was allowed to touch me because it made it worse. I wonder how a birth photographer would fare through 30 hrs in a dark room. Lol. I guess she could go home and come back. Thank you for sharing!

Aww, thank you, Monica! It really helps to have someone present who is not family to take pics. I know from my first birth that family members get too caught up in the moment and forget they’re holding the camera!

Heather, I love your reading your blog! I am expecting my first baby in January and I was wondering if you ever have (or will) post the playlist of music you had during your deliveries? I loved the song playing during Micah’s 1st birthday video so i’m thinking I would like whatever other music you chose for that occasion as well. Thanks for sharing about all your experiences.

Hi Erin! Congratulations on your pregnancy! Love that you will be starting a brand new year with a sweet new baby . . . there is just nothing better! In case you want it, today’s song was Swell Window by Zee Avi. Unfortunately, my birth playlist was on my husband’s laptop which crashed a few months ago. I remember it had a of Brian Johnson and Deuter on it. Good stuff 🙂

Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful birth experience. I wish I’d known about options like water birth and birth photographers when I birthed my six (3 boys and girls, all single births.) We counted ourselves lucky just to get to skip the anesthetics and episiotomy back then. but i did manage to breastfeed all of the for a couple of years each and I’ve been around to help others make better choices, working as a doula. I’ll be showing this sight to my daughters in hopes they will make choices that bring them the joy I see on your face.

Natural birth AND extended breastfeeding before the shift in the last few years must have brought it’s share of hassles. Thank you Kate for seeing your choice through . . . there are so many today who are making more informed choices because of mamas like you <3

as a photographer myself, I was really bummed to not hire a birth photographer, but our last birth was (an amazing!) Hba2c; and I felt like in my journey, I had to be able to just go inward and focus. I didn’t want any extra people there. I think I made a good decision, but THANKFULLY my awesome doula grabbed the camera and camcorder to get catch the actual birth and a little of the labor!! 🙂

More beautiful than words can describe. I am due September 10th with my 1st. (I’m know you relate to some of my feelings about being due around 9/11.)

In my pretend world, we know each other and are friends. In the real world I am one of your many blog readers who admire the mommypotamus that you are and are grateful for the words you provide one your blog.

I absolutely loved the song that was playing during the slideshow. I know you answered in one of the previous comments how you no longer have this playlist because the computer crashed. However, I think since that comment was posted you have had babypotamus #3, so I’m hoping your have a labor playlist from that birth that you are willing to share sometime on your blog! 😉